Got An EV In Calderdale? Dean Clough Just Changed The Game

Picture this. You’ve got an electric car, which is brilliant, but you live in a classic terraced house in Halifax. Where on earth are you meant to charge it? Running a cable across the pavement is a no-go. Or maybe you're just driving through Yorkshire, somewhere between Leeds and Manchester, and your battery is looking a bit sad. The last thing you want is to be stuck at a slow charger for an hour.

Well, if that sounds familiar, you’ll want to hear this. Dean Clough, that massive, amazing-looking collection of old mill buildings, has just plugged itself firmly into the future. They've spent over a million quid to install some seriously powerful EV charge points, and it’s already making a huge difference for drivers. This isn't just any old charging spot; it's a major new hub that’s become one of the most popular in the country for its operator, Mer.

So what's the buzz about these chargers?

Right, let's get into the details. Earlier this year, Dean Clough got a massive new power supply hooked up. This wasn't just for putting in a couple of extra sockets; it was for a huge £1 million investment. This power now fuels eight brand-new, ultra-rapid EV charging bays. What does 'ultra-rapid' mean? It means you can get a serious amount of juice into your car, fast. We're talking getting back on the road in the time it takes to wander around, grab a proper coffee, and check your phone.

This isn't just a minor upgrade. It’s the *only* place in the whole of Calderdale with this kind of superfast charging. Before this, your best bet was trekking over to Hartshead Moor Service Station on the M62. Now, there’s a proper, convenient option right on the edge of Halifax town centre. And people are loving it. The operator, Mer, says this single site is already one of its top five busiest out of nearly 150 locations across the UK.

The numbers are pretty mind-boggling:

• In just the first two months, the charge points have supplied enough power for electric vehicles to drive around the Earth more than three times.
• That's the same as driving the entire length of the UK 100 times.
• Or, if you fancy it, driving from London to the Dean Clough site and back 415 times.
• Every single day, the hub provides enough power for 2,500km of driving, which has a massive impact on cutting down car emissions.

A historic site embracing the future

If you know Dean Clough, you know it's steeped in history. This sprawling 22-acre heritage site was once the home of the world's biggest carpet factory. For over 40 years, the magnificent old Victorian mills have been carefully brought back to life, mixing their industrial charm with modern spaces for both business and leisure. It’s a place with real character.

So, does adding shiny new technology spoil the historic vibe? Not at all. It’s actually part of the plan. The whole philosophy at Dean Clough is about reuse. Instead of letting these beautiful buildings fall apart, they've been repurposed to be useful for today's community. Adding EV charging is just the next logical step.

Jeremy Hall, the Chairman and Managing Director at Dean Clough, puts it perfectly:

“We are delighted to see that our superfast charging hub is being so well utilised, not just by our occupiers, but also the local residential community and users from as far as Leeds. One of the founding principles at Dean Clough is about reuse, and especially the value of reuse in terms of the carbon benefits. We have a wonderful asset in the shape of these magnificent buildings that we’ve been given an opportunity to reuse and make relevant and vibrant for the community we live and work in. This philosophy extends to modernising the site's facilities while maintaining its historic character because our ethos is very much about the forward-looking element of the site and its amenities. As electric vehicles continue to gain momentum, Dean Clough stands as a powerful example of how historic sites can embrace new technologies while honouring their heritage, providing essential infrastructure that supports both the local community and the transition to a more sustainable future.”

It’s about respecting the past while providing what people need now. You can feel the history, visit the art galleries, or even see a show at the theatre, all while your car is getting a 21st-century top-up. That’s a win-win.

Why Dean Clough was the perfect location

Choosing the right location for a major charging hub is a big deal. Mer, the company that runs the chargers, didn't just pick Dean Clough by throwing a dart at a map. They saw that the site was a mini-community in itself. It has offices, shops, a gym, a hotel, and places to eat. This mix of demographics and amenities makes it a natural stopping point.

But the biggest factor was the local area. Alex Hinchcliffe, the UK Managing Director at Mer, explains that the type of housing in Calderdale was a key reason. With so many terraced houses, lots of people simply can't install their own home chargers. This lack of facilities was a real barrier for anyone thinking about switching to an EV. By putting eight ultra-fast charge points right here, they've more than doubled the charging infrastructure in the area overnight.

According to Alex Hinchcliffe:

"What really put Dean Clough on the map as a location for EV charge points was its diversity in terms of demographics and amenities. It's got its own micro population of workplace, retail, food and beverage, gym and fitness, and hotel accommodation. Another crucial factor was the local housing landscape. The high density of terraced housing in the Calderdale area presents limited scope for people to install at home chargers. The area has a general lack of EV charging facilities, and Mer’s eight ultra-fast charge points more than doubled the existing EV charging infrastructure. When we put chargers centrally into an environment where they become accessible to residents, it removes the barriers to owning an EV. It has the beneficial impact of stimulating visitors to the shops, cafes, businesses and all the other amenities on a commercial site.”

So, while you’re powering up your car, you’re just a short walk away from everything the site offers. And with 1,300 spaces in its vast car parks, there's always room. It’s smart thinking that helps local residents, supports local businesses, and makes the whole area more appealing for visitors from Leeds, Manchester, and beyond, especially with the M62 so close.